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r. ~w•face dater fhe uroposed niininy operation has undermined two significant strewn/alluvial aquifer systems, and is discharging large quantities of water From its underground workings. Empire Energy Corporatior~'s discussion of prohaule hydrologic consequences indicates Lhat sLrea,n depletion and surface water quality effects are not expected to oe sir~nificant. However, the potential For adverse effects still exists, and dovmstreaw wdtcr users +uust be pruL~~cLed. Tlierefure, per kule [.U5.6(3)(a), the applicant must provide a contingency plan idenCifyi~g the sources of water that would be used, and the measures t'nat woul5 oe undertaken by the operator to provide water to surf ice water users si.ould Liic applicant's hydruloyic nronitori+~~] inrlicaCc th~~t the n+ininy opera~iun is haviiiy ,rn advcr'sc dI IecL upon w~il.cr u•.cr;. Tne application includes a discussion of the projecter hydruloyic impacts upr~~i the surface water sysLe+u. I:moire Energy horpor'aCion indicates LhaL rni~;ing operations niay minutely rJiminish natural strewn Plow. Uuriny cperations, any stream depletion would be offset Uy the discharge of avatar from underground workings. Idining v:ould be limited beneath the Yampa and the 'rJillia~ns Fork !givers so Chat the effects of subsidence upon the river°s would be avoided. The applicant indicates that mining operations would have no discernible effect upon existing water quality in the area. I The Division noes not necessarily disagree with any of these conclusions. Hd~.vever, the discussion of probable hyurologic consequences presented oy the applicant is qualitative, and L'ne applicant 'has failed to provida technical analysis to support his conclusions concerning the ~~agnitude o` possidle effects. The discussion of probable hydruloyic consequences gust be expanded and quantiFied to support the projected hyurologic impacts, and to clarify the magnitude of the effects that E+npire's +nininy operation o-muld nave upon the uydroloyic system. Tne discussion roust include the follovriny: (a). Empire Energy Corporation .oust provide a quantitative technical assessment or the maximum stream depletion during and after operations that would result from the proposed mining operations. The assessment nwsC show the ~nelhod of analysis used, and identiFy all assumptions made in the assessn~~ent. (b). Empire Energy Corporation must provide a quantitative technical assessnicnt of the water yualiLy efFecLS of discharging water fro:u C'ne underground workings (5, 5h, and 9) to the ~illia:r,s Fork and Yampa Rivers. Tte applicant must provide a worst Casa estimate of the quantity and quality of Ch+c :•rater to be discharged r1w-iny the permit term. Empire Energy Corporation must use this estimate to predict the resulting total dissolved solids concentration in the receiving stream on a monthly b,.sis under average and low flow conditions. Receiving water quality 'and Flo'.; for the prediction must be based upon site-s;~ecifi_ conditions. The technical assessment roust be carried rJo~:msu'eam to the point that changes in water quality becaee no longer discernible. Include effects on the Yampa Kivar, if appropriate.